UK Anti-Terror Police Arrest Man Heading to Turkey

British police said Friday they had arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of terrorism offences as he attempted to board a flight to Turkey, a well-travelled route to Syria.

The unnamed man was arrested on Wednesday afternoon at Luton airport, north of London, on suspicion of being involved in the preparation of acts to commit terrorism.

Officers also searched a property in west London and the man, who was due to fly to Istanbul, remains in custody, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Police.

The same day the man was arrested in Luton, three other men, two aged 26 and one aged 27, were arrested in west London on suspicion of terrorism offences linked to Syria.

Hundreds if not thousands of Westerners have joined the groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria over the past three years, many travelling there by road from Turkey.

Richard Barrett, the former head of counter-terrorism at the MI6 overseas security agency, said last week that as many as 500 people may have gone from Britain to fight, with some now joining a militant offensive in Iraq.

Amid concerns that they may become radicalised and return to attack British targets, police have warned that those heading to the region and returning home face arrest.